Kudos to the Chatham Clean Path action team!
We’re happy to report that Chatham County commissioners just made a move toward solarizing county-owned facilities based on a recommendation by local residents working together as Chatham Clean Path.
In doing so, the Chatham commissioners are putting teeth into their earlier pledge to do their part to address the climate crisis – with investments in the community that will also save precious tax dollars over many years.
At its June 18 meeting, the commission unanimously supported a Chatham Clean Path request to begin assessing the feasibility and economics of solarizing county buildings and other facilities. By working with the federal SolSmart program, they plan to begin soliciting solar proposals in September.
As Chatham Clean Path’s Amanda Robertson said, “We want to be the first North Carolina county to transition almost entirely to clean, affordable solar energy on government offices, schools, community centers and other county-owned facilities.”
Chatham Clean Path is a citizen action team made up of Chatham volunteers who support a move to local, reliable – and cheaper – solar power.
The effort is part of a growing campaign, called NC Clean Path 2025, to quickly replace coal and gas-fired power across the state with solar energy generated close to where it’s used, combined with battery storage and energy-saving programs. The NC Clean Path 2025 strategy, developed for NC WARN by engineer Bill Powers, will benefit all customers. NC WARN is working with action teams to advance the plan in key cities and counties across the state.
Chatham’s strong move is exactly the right message to Duke Energy executives – that they will lose large blocks of business if they continue expanding fracked gas while trying to hold back the growth of renewable energy.
See coverage of this exciting development in the Chatham County Line and Chatham Record.
See Chatham County’s draft solar RFP.
